Private Tutoring - Where Oh Where?

[Jawnie]

I'm part-time teaching at an international school. I've had a few private students as well. I'd like to do more private tutoring. I've been in Bkk for a little over a year and I wonder if there is an area of Bkk that I might move to that will give me better access to private students. I live outside the main city centers and would be willing to relocate to a different area for this. Your thoughts, please.

[Jawnie]

Okay, then....thanks for all of your valuable thoughts and comments. Sheesh.....

[Yooyung]

Perhaps no one has bothered yet because the question is a tad ridiculous. You obviously realise that private students can be found anywhere, its up to you.....right? No one area of Bangkok will necessarily be better than another for finding private individuals that want one on one with a native english speaker. You could even find such individuals up in Nan.....even down in Pattani...or perhaps right next door to you!

Its all about advertising yourself. Make up some business cards and hand them around, put an advert up in your apartment building or in your village, talk to people,tell your local greengrocer your available for hire....it really aint rocket science. An international scholl you say?....hmmm...

[Tim7]

Hey Jawnie

Don't mind me asking,how much do you earn on a part time basis per day or per week or per month with how many students? How do you charge hourly or daily? If you're teaching at international then you should be able to locate students by introduction isn't it? Might able to advice you on average.

[Jawnie]

Perhaps no one has bothered yet because the question is a tad ridiculous. You obviously realise that private students can be found anywhere, its up to you.....right? No one area of Bangkok will necessarily be better than another for finding private individuals that want one on one with a native english speaker. You could even find such individuals up in Nan.....even down in Pattani...or perhaps right next door to you!

Its all about advertising yourself. Make up some business cards and hand them around, put an advert up in your apartment building or in your village, talk to people,tell your local greengrocer your available for hire....it really aint rocket science. An international scholl you say?....hmmm...

You know what? I didn't think it was a ridiculous question.... Whatever happened to 'there's no such thing as a stupid/ridiculous question'? Anyway, your advice is helpful. Suffice it to say that I don't live in an area where people are going to pay 400-500 baht per hour for English lessons...I just know that. Or, it will take a lot of what you suggest to get there. All of the private students I've had live in other parts of Bangkok and one of us always has to commute. I thought might make it easier for myself by relocating (since I'm thinking about it anyway). Best of both worlds would be to do as you say but in or around a business center or university where there are a lot more college-educated people with decent jobs or students with parents to pay.

[HerbalEd]

I hope you're a better teacher/tutor than you are a self marketer/salesman. Do you have business cards? Do you list your services in BKK newspapers, or here on TV's classified ads? There is no magic neighborhood or section of BKK where you're going to automatically find tutoring jobs.

[Jawnie]

I hope you're a better teacher/tutor than you are a self marketer/salesman. Do you have business cards? Do you list your services in BKK newspapers, or here on TV's classified ads? There is no magic neighborhood or section of BKK where you're going to automatically find tutoring jobs.

Well okay, then. Thanks for the information....it is very helpful. The only thing I DON'T like about it is the egotistical sniping - I thought this board would have escaped that mindset, but apparently not. I am not good at marketing myself and I'm not even sure about doing it here in Thailand. Once again, thanks for the information, not so much for the sniping. Jeeeezus.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Jawnie

[Tanaka]

You seem to be very touchy. That may not be a favourable asset here.

[NeverSure]

There are very good teachers who are shy with people. There are very good teachers who aren't good at marketing themselves. There are very good teachers who don't know all of the areas of Bangkok well. It is one thing to apply for a job at a school, and another entirely find private students, especially if you aren't particularly outgoing.

I would think that the members here would be willing to share their collective knowledge with such a person, but I guess I forget. This is ThaiVisa. You'd think I'd get used to all of the sniping but I don't think I ever will.

OP, good luck to you.

[Jawnie]

There are very good teachers who are shy with people. There are very good teachers who aren't good at marketing themselves. There are very good teachers who don't know all of the areas of Bangkok well. It is one thing to apply for a job at a school, and another entirely find private students, especially if you aren't particularly outgoing.

I would think that the members here would be willing to share their collective knowledge with such a person, but I guess I forget. This is ThaiVisa. You'd think I'd get used to all of the sniping but I don't think I ever will.

OP, good luck to you.

Thanks for this. I'm just a little unsure how to go about it as I'm interested in doing more private tutoring (and making more money). My basic question was whether anyone had any thoughts regarding how location might help or hinder getting more students. Maybe it doesn't as some have suggested. But, as you indicate, it seems I haven't gotten a full spectrum of views on that basic inquiry. Maybe others are concerned I might move into their neighborhood and take their students....haha.

[Jawnie]

You seem to be very touchy. That may not be a favourable asset here.

Haha.... Agreed, although I'm not as thin-skinned as my responses here indicate. I guess I 'chose' to be thin-skinned here given that, presumably, we are all teachers here....not demigods of a superior order. Hence, I felt the need to point out the sniping as just that. Thanks.

[Scott]

It's difficult to know where the best places are for private tutoring. In the more affluent and central business areas, there certainly are opportunities, but the cost of living is much higher and the competition is much greater.

I lived in an outer area of BKK that was pretty much an industrial area. I had a huge number of private classes--way, way more than I could handle. There was a need and there was a lot less competition.

The other thing to remember is that Thais tend to do a lot by word-of-mouth. When some students like you, they tell other people and the word gets around fast. It's a matter of getting your foot in the door, doing a good job, being liked and you will have plenty of work.

Best of luck.

[utalkin2me]

Perhaps no one has bothered yet because the question is a tad ridiculous. You obviously realise that private students can be found anywhere, its up to you.....right? No one area of Bangkok will necessarily be better than another for finding private individuals that want one on one with a native english speaker. You could even find such individuals up in Nan.....even down in Pattani...or perhaps right next door to you!

Its all about advertising yourself. Make up some business cards and hand them around, put an advert up in your apartment building or in your village, talk to people,tell your local greengrocer your available for hire....it really aint rocket science. An international scholl you say?....hmmm...

Right, in other words.... work for your money/clients. All that money doesn't just fall into your pocket for no reason.

[Covertjay]

The other thing to remember is that Thais tend to do a lot by word-of-mouth. When some students like you, they tell other people and the word gets around fast. It's a matter of getting your foot in the door, doing a good job, being liked and you will have plenty of work.

Sound advice.